Drying apparatus



un. 19;, 192s. 1,569,880

c. REI-:s Erm.

DRYING APPARATUS Filedy opt. 22. 1924" 4 sheets-sheet 1 Jan, 19 1926.v

n C. REES El' AL DRYING APPARATUS Filed Oct. 22. 1924 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 f @JM i A Jan. 19 1926.1 1,569,880'

C.' REES Er AL vanne Agmmus Filed oct. 22. 1924 l4 sheets-she a FIEB.

'c4 -J L unitn-rou W Wks/Tim c." REEs Er AL DRYING APPARATUS Filed oct. 22. 1924 4 Sheets-Sheet 4.

l /N VIN T025 Claude Bee.

Y Char/ea ffffie- Patented Jan. 19, 19276.

,if UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CLAUDE REES AND CHARLES F. HINE, 0F SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

DRYIN G APPARATUS.

Application filed 0ctober`22, 1924. Serial No. 745,147.

To all 'zo/tom t may concern:

Be it known that we, CLAUDE Rims and CHARLES F. `HINn, citizens ofv the United States, and residents of the city and county of San Francisco, State of California, have invented acertain new and useful Drying Apparatus, of which the following 1s a i specification.

The invention relates to a drying apparatus for drying, dehydrating or partially dehydrating materials, such as fruit, vege tables or other products requiring drying to place them in condition for use or sale.

An object of the invention is to provide a drying apparatus having a large drying capacity. y

Another object of the invention is to provide a` duplex drying apparatus in which two rows of tiers of the material to be dried may be arranged. 0

Another object of the inventionis to provide a` drying apparatus provided with blowers for circulating air, the blowers being provided with meansfor reversing the direction of the air circulation.

The invention possesses other advantageous features, some of which with the foregoing, will be set forth at length in the f ollowing description where we shall outlinein full; that form of the apparatus of our invention which we have selected for illustration in the drawings accompanying and forming part of the present specification.`

In said drawings we haveshown one. form of drying apparatus embodying our invention, but it is torbe understood that we do not limit ourselves to such form, since the invention, as set forth in the claims, may be embodied in a plurality of forms.

Referring to said drawings:

Figure 1 is a horizontal section taken through a drying house embodying our invention, the section being taken on the line 1-,1 Figure 4. i

Figure 2 is a horizontal section taken through a dryinghouse embodying our invention, the section being taken immediately below the ceiling on the line 2 2 Figure 4. Figure 3 is in part an end elevation ofa drying house embodying our invention. y

Figure 4 is a vertical cross section lthrough the drying house taken on the line 4 4 Figure 1,

yFigure 5 is a side elevation, partly dia-` grammatic, of the means employed for con-` trolling the discharge of air from the blower.

Figure 6 is a top or plan view of thel blower housing and control devices shown in Figure 5. i i

Figure 7 is a side elevation of a truck loaded with a tier of trays.

The drying apparatus of our invention comprises a house or other enclosing structure into which the material to be dried is introduced. The material is preferably arranged on trays and the trays arranged in tiers, the trays being constructed to permit the passage of air between the successive trays in the tierfor the purpose of drying the material disposed on the trays. The house is divided into two longitudinal drying chambers with an interposed heating chamber and the air for drying the mate-` rial is circulated transversely in the house, passing tlirouofh one drying chamber, thence through the ieating chamber andthence through the other drying chamber. The house is provided with a horizontal partition arranged over the drying chambers, forming a reverse air passage over the drying chambers and the means for circulating the air are arranged in the reverse air pas sage. At opposite sides of the house, contiguous to the drying chambers, are longitudinally extending passages which open upward into the reverse air chamber, so that the air may circulate through the drying chambers and through the reverse air chambers. The house is also provided with a plu- V rality of transverse partitions which prevent the free movement of the air longitudinally of the house, so that the air is circulated in the house in a more or lless helical path. Air is withdrawn at one end of the house by a blower and discharged into the other end of the house and progiesses iii a more or less 'helical path through the house, the air being continuously circulated by blowers arranged in the reverse air chamber.

. The .drying apparatus of our invention comprises a house having side walls 2--3 and end walls fit-5. The house is provided with a roof 6 and with a horizontal ceiling Tdis' posed below the roof. Extending through the house are two parallel, spaced tracks 8 over which trucks 9 containing tiers 12 of trays containing the material to be dried, are moved. The trucks are entered into the house at one end thereof and gradually progress toward the other end, at which other end they are removed after the material has been suitably dried. The house is usually' fully charged with trucks to its capacity and when a pair ot trucks or a larger number of trucks are removed from one end ot' the house, the trucks within the house are advanced and a number of trucks equal to those removed, are introduced into the other end ot the house. Doors are provided at the ends of the house tor permitting the introduction and the removal of the trucks loaded with trays. rlhe trays are provided with side walls which extend upward to a greater height than the end walls, so that when a tier of trays is formed, horizontal passages are provided, extending transversely through the tier, the side walls of the respective supcrposed trays are in contact, providing substantially continuous side walls for the tier and consequently the drying air is forced to pass transversely only through the tier. rl`he side walls ot the tier torni partitions in the drying chambers, when the chambers are filled with tiers and these partitions are alined with partitions formed in the house to produce a plurality of successive transverse compartments, and means are provided in each compartment Jfor trans versely circulating the air therein.

Arranged between the two rows of tiers, carried by the two tracks.v is a heating chamber in which suitable heaters 13 are arranged. These heaters preferably extend upward to adjacent the ceiling 7 so that the circulating air is brought into contact twice with the heaters during each circulation of the air. The heaters 13 preferably comprise tubular radiators, through which the gases oli combustion Afrom the furnace la pass. The gases ot combuftion from the furnace enter a drum 15 arranged in a tunnel 16. disposed below the floor o't the house, and from the drum 15 the gases pass upward through spaced conduits 1T into the lower headers 1S of the heaters. From the lower headers the gases pass upward through the tubes 19 into the upper header 21 and the upper headers of the heaters are connected to the stack which extends upward above the root of the house.

Disposed above the drying chambers and below the ceiling 7. is a substantially horizontal partition Q3 which is of less width than the width of the house, which provides a reverse air passage Qi below the ceiling. Air circulated through the reverse air pas sage and through the drying and heating chambers and, since the heaters are arranged between the two drying chambers, the air is heated twice during each circulation and is heated after it leaves one drying chamber and before it enters the other drying cha1nber. ln the chamber below the horizontal partition 23, the air is heated by the lower portion ot' the heater 13 and in the reverse air chamber 2l, the air is heated by the upper portion oi the heater 13. Means are provided in the reverse air chamber tor circulating the air transversely ot the house.

Formed at the outside of cach heating chamber, that is7 between the heating chamber and the side wall ot the house, is a longi tudinal passage 26 extending from the `floor to the ceiling 7, to permit the passage of air from the drying chamber to the reverse air chamber and vice versa. The longitudinal passages 2G serve as inspection passages. to permit inspection ot the fruit heilig dried, and also serve to control the rate of progression ol the air longitudinally through the house. The passageways 2G are provided. at their ends with doors Q7 to permit ingress and egress and are provided intermediate their ends with transverse partitions 2S which. when the tiers ol trays are in place, are in alinement with the side walls ot the alternate tiers. thus dividing the house into a plurality ot" compartments. The partitions 2S are provided with doors Q!) to permit an observer to walk through the passage and there doors QE) also serve to control the rate ot progression of the air through the house. The doors may be opened to any desired degree and when opened permit the movement o't air from one compartmentto the successive compartment and the degree ol opening ot the doors determines the rate at which the air moves longitudinally in the house from one com partment to the other.

The heating chamber, which is interposed between the two drying chambers, is provided with transverse partitions 31 which are alined at their ends with the partitions 2S, so that they assist in dividing the house into a plurality of compartments. The partitions 31 and the partitions 28 are preferably provided at their edges with movable shutters 32 which may be moved into contact with the end walls ot the tiers of trays, to prevent leakage of air through the space between the tiers and the partition walls.

The reverse air chamber is divided into a plurality of compartments by the vertically disposed partition walls 34e which are vertically alined with the partitions :28, so that the house, between the ceiling and the floor, is divided into a plurality of transverse compartments, through which air is circulated. The air is crculated through each compartment and a proportion of the air progresses from one compartment to the other, soA that the air has a more or less helical path through the house. The partitions 34 are provided with doors to permit acopened, the air enters the inlet casing cess to the partitions and these doors 35 may .be set `in adjustable positionto control the u rotated by the hand wheel 56 through suitprogression of air through the house.

The airin each compartment is preferably circulated by a `blower arrangedr in the reverse air passage of the compartment and means are provided for reversing the direction of discharge of air from'ithe blower, so that the direction of the circulating air may be reversed. Arranged in eachcompartment of the-reverse air chamber is a blower housing 36 having air inlet chambers 37 arranged at opposite sides thereof. The hous-' ing is preferably of the sameheight` as the reverse air chamber and the space between the housing and the transverse walls is closed by partitions 38 so that" all air must pass through the blowerI housing. The plurality of blowers are arranged `in alinement and `are driven by the shaft 39 which is driven by the motor 4l. The blowers are preferably driven continuously in` one direction and air control means are provided for reversing the direction of the flow of air in the compartments. Each blower house ing 36 is provided on opposite sides with discharge openings which are controlled by the gates or valves 42-43, the two gates lying on opposite sides of the partition 38. Similarly, each inlet housing 37 is provided with two gates orvalves 45-46, disposed on opposite sides of the partition wall y38. The various valves are preferably interconnected, so that valves 42 and 46 move together and valves 43 and 45 move together, these valves being disposed on opposite sides of the casing. When valves 42 and 46 are closed, valves 43 and 45 are opened and viceversa.` With the valves in the yposition shown in Figures' and 6, valves 46 and 42 being closed and valves 45 and `43 being 37 through the openings `controlled by the valve 45 and discharges through 'the opening controlled by the valve 43. AThis causes a'movement of the `airA in the direction indicated by the fullarrows, that is, from left to right.. WithA the position of the valves reversed, the air travels in the direction indicated by the broken arrows, that is, from right to left. Means are provided for connecting the `valves 45 and 46' togetherin pairs, so that as one valve is closed theother is opened, and also for connecting the valves 43 andV 42 together so that these valves also move simultaneously in opposite directions. The valves 45 and 46 are connected together by the link 47 so that they move simultaneously, and the valves 45 and 42 are secured valve 42. These chainspass over sprockets 53-54, mounted onthe shaft55, whichis hand wheel 56 causes va movement of all of the valves to open the inlet on one side of the partition and the outlet on the opposite sideV of the partition, so that the air may be circulated in either direction through the drying chamber. In order that the fruit on the trays `may be dried equally at opposite ends of the trays in the tiers, it is advisable to reverse the direction of flow of the air at certain intervals, so that all of the fruit willbe equally dried. f

i Means are provided for causing a progres sion of air through thehouse, this means preferably comprising a blower 6l driven by the motor 62 and having its intake conduit 63 opening into the house adjacent one end thereof, preferably that end into which the green fruit is introduced. The blower 61 is provided with a discharge conduit 64 which opens into the tunnel 16 arranged below the floor of the house, and with` an auxiliary discharge conduit 65 for discharging a portion of the air to the atmosphere. The tunnel 16 extends Vfor substantially the full length of the house and the air passing through the tunnel contacts `with the hot drum l5 which extends for the length of the heaters, and in passing in `contact. with the drum, the air is heated. The tunnel opens up through the floor of the house at the opposite end of the house from theblower163 and opens into the first compartment in the house. The heated air is circulated in this compartment by the blower arranged therein and passes horizontally through the passages in the tiers of trays arranged in the drying chambers. The air gradually passes downward through the house into the successive compartments and in the successive compart-r. ments is reheated twice during each circu-` lation of the air, due to` the arrangement of the heater in both the upper and lower chambers in the house. In passing through the houseandv inrcontact with the fruit to be dried, `the warm air takes up moisture and this moisture laden Iair is recirculated through the house by the blowerGl, so that hot dryv airis not brought into contact withl the fruit. The air passing through the house is gradually renewed toreplace the air which discharges through 'the conduit 65 and the moisture removed from the fruit discharges with the air through theconduit 65, the recirculated air being also moist so that the `desired condition of humidity is maintained in the house at all times. By virtue of this arrangement, wehave provided ardrying apparatns capable of treating tworows of of the equipment'is increased, since there is less dissipation of heat to the atmosphere.

Te claim:

1. A dryingapparatus, comprising a house, two parallel` tracks arranged in the house and adapted to receivev trucks loaded withv tiers of trays containing the material to be dried, a horizontal partition dividing the house into upper and lower chambers, a heater arranged in the house. between the two tracks and disposed in both chambers and means for circulating air through the two. chambers serially.

2. A drying apparatus comprising a house, two parallel tracks arranged in the house and adapted to receive trucks loaded with tiers. of trays containing the material to be dried, a horizontal partition dividing the house into upper` and lower chambers, a heater arranged in the house between the two tracks and disposed in both chambers7 means for circulating air through the two chambers serially and means for reversing the direction of the iiow of air.

A drying apparatus comprising a house, two parallel tracks arranged in the house and adapted to receive trucks loaded with. tiers of trays containing the material to be dried, a horizontal partition dividing the house into upper and lower chambers, a heater arranged in the house between the two tracks and disposed in both chambers, means for circulating air through the two chambers serially and means for causing a progression of the circulating air through the house.

4. A drying apparatus com )rising a house, two parallel tracks arrange( in the house and adapted to receive trucks loaded with tiers of trays containing the material to be dried, a horizontal partition dividing the house into upper and lower chambers, a heater arranged in the house between the two tracks and disposed in both chambers, means for circulating ail` through the two chambers serially, means for causing a progression of the circulating air through the house and means for controlling the rate of progression of the air.

5. A drying apparatus comprising a house, two parallel tracks arranged in the house and adapted to receive trucks loaded with tiers of trays containing the material to be dried, a horizontal partition dividing the house into upper and lower chambers, a

i heater arranged in the house between the two tracks and disposed in both chambers, means for circulating air through the two chambers serially and a blower having its inlet opening into one end of the house and 1 its discharge opening into the other end oi the house.

6. A drying apparatus comprising a house, two parallel tracks arranged in the house and adapted to receive trucks loaded with tiers of trays containing the material to be dried, a. horizontal partition dividing the` house into upper and lower chambers,l a heater arranged in the house between the two tracks and disposed in both chambers, means for circulating air through the two chambers serially, a blower having its inlet opening into one end of the house, a discharge conduit for the blower' opening into the other end of the house, and a second blower discharge conduit opening to the atmosphere.

7. A drying apparatus comprising a house, two parallel tracks arranged in the house and adapted to receive trucks; loaded with tiers of trays containing the material to be dried, the trays being formed to permit the passage of air through the tiers in a transverse direction only, a horizontal partition dividing the house into upper and lower chambers, a heater arranged in the house between the two tracks and disposed in both chambers, transverse partitions in the upper chamber dividing the chamber into aplurality of compartments and means in the compartments for circulating air through the chambers serially.

S. A drying apparatus comprising a house, two parallel tracks arranged in the house and adapted to receive trucks loaded with tiers of trays containing the material to be dried, the trays being formed to permit the passage of air through the tiers in a transverse direction only, a horizontal partition dividing the house into upper and lower chambers, a heater arranged in the house between the two tracks and disposed in both chambers, transverse partitions in the upper chamber dividing the chamber into a plurality of compartments, means in the compartments for circulating air through the chambers serially and means for reversing the direction of circulation of the air.

9. A drying apparatus comprising a house, two parallel tracks arranged in the house and adapted to receive trucks loaded with tiers of trays containing the material to be dried, the trays being formed to permit the passage of air through the tiers in a. transverse direction only, a horizontal artition dividing the house into upper and ower chambers, a heater arranged in the house between the two tracks and disposed in both chambers, transverse partitions in the upper chamber dividing the chamber into a plurality of compartments, means in the compartments ttor circulating air through the chambers serially and means for causin a progression of the circulating air through the house.

10. AA drying apparatus comprising a, house, two parallel tracks arranged in the house and adapted to receive trucks loaded with tiers of trays containing the material to be dried, the trays being formed to permit the passage of air through the tiers in a transverse direction only, a. horizontal par- IIB llo

tition dividing the house into upper and lower chambers, a heater arranged in the house between the two tracks and disposed in both chambers, transverse partitions in the upper chamber dividing the chamber into aplurality of compartments, means in the compartments vfor circulating air through the chambers serially, means for causing a progression of the circulating `air through the house and means for controlling the rate of progressionof the air.

11.1A drying apparatus comprising a house, two parallel tracks arranged in the house and adapted to receive trucks loaded with tiers of trays containing the material to be dried, the trays being formed to permit the `passage of air through the tiers in a transverse direction only, a horizontal partition dividing the house into upper and lower chambers, a heater arranged in the house between the two tracks and disposed in both chambers, transverse partitions in the upper chamber dividing the chamber into a plurality of compartments, blowers in the compartments for circulating air through the chambers serially, means controlling the air inlet to the blowers, means controlling the air discharge from the blowers and means for actuating the controlling means to reverse the direction of circulation of the f air.

12. A drying apparatus comprising a house, heaters arranged in the center of the house, drying chambers at opposite sides of the heaters, a horizontal partition overlying the drying chambers and forming a reverse air space connecting the two drying chambers, tiers of trays containing the material to be dried arranged in the drying chambers, said tiers being 'formed to permit the passage of air therethrough transversel f only and means for circulating air through said drying chambers serially.

13. A drying apparatus comprising a house, heaters arranged in the center of the house, drying chambers at opposite sides of the heaters, a horizontal partition overlying'the drying chambers and forming a reverse air space connecting the two drying chambers, tiers of trays containing the material to be dried arranged in the drying chambers, said tiers being formed to permit the passage of air therethrough transversely only,y means lfor circulating air through one drying chamber, a heater, the other drying chamber and the reverse air passage serially and means for reversing the direction of circulation of the air.

14. A drying apparatus `comprising a house, heaters arranged in the center of the house, drying chambers at opposite sides of the heaters, longitudinal passageways along the remote sides of the drying chambers, a horizontal partition overlyingthe drying chambers and forming a reverse air space house, heaters arranged in the center of the house, drying chambers at opposite sides of the heaters, tracks extending through the drying chambers adapted to carry trucks carrying tiers of trays containing the material to be dried, the tiers being closed at their sides and open at their ends to permitthe passage of air therethrough in a transverse direction only, longitudinal passageways along the remote sides of the drying chambers, partitions in said passageways arranged to occur in alinement with the rclosed sides of the tiers, a horizontal partition overlying the drying chambers and forminga reverse air passage connecting the two passagep ways, said heaters extending upwardly into said reverse air passage, vertical partitions in said reverse air passage alined with the partitions in said longitudinal passageways and means in the reverse air passage for circulatingl air through the reverse air passage and the drying chambers and the heaters.

16. A drying apparatus comprising a house, heaters arranged in the center of the house, drying chambers at opposite 'sides of the heaters, tracks extending through the drying chambers adapted to carry trucks carrying tiers of trays containing the material to be dried, the tiersbeing closed at their sides and open at their ends to permit the passage of air therethrough in a transverse direction only, longitudinal passageways along the remote sides of the drying chambers, partitions in said passageways arranged to occur in alinement with the closed sides of the tiers, a horizontal partition overlying the drying chambers and forming a reverse air passage connecting the two passageways, said heaters extending upwardly into said reverse air passage, vertical partitions in said reverse air passage alined with the partitions in said longitudinal passageways, blowers in the reverse air passage for circulating air through the reverse air passage and drying chambers and the heaters and a blower for causing a progression of air through the house.

17. A drying apparatus comprising a house, heaters arranged in the center of the house, drying chambers at opposite sides of the heaters, tracks extending through the drying chambers adapted to carry trucks carrying tiers of trays containing the material to be dried, the tiers being closed at their sides'and open at their ends to permit the passage of air therethrough in a transverse direction only, longitudinal passageways along the remote sides of the drying chambers, partitions in said passageways arranged to occur in alinexnent with the closed sidesof the tiers, aA horizontal partition overlying the drying chambers and forming a reverse air passage connecting the two passageways, said heaters extending upwardly `into said reverse air passage, vertical partitions in said reverse air passage alined with the partitions in said longitudinal passageways, blowers in the reverse air passage for circulating air through the reverse air passage and drying chambers and the heaters and ablower connected at its intake side to one end of the house and at its discharge Side to the other end of the house.

1S. A drying apparatus Comprising a house, heaters arranged in the center of the house, drying Chambers at opposite sides of the heaters, tracks extending tl'irough the drying chambers adapted to carry trucks carrying tiers of trays containing the inaterial to be dried, the tiers being closed at their sides and open at their ends to permit the passage of air therethrough in a transverse direction only, longitudinal passageways along the renote sides of the drying Chambers, partitions in said passageways arranged to oeeur in alinexnent with the closed sides ol' the tiers, a horizontal partition overlying the drying chambers and forining a reverse air passage connecting the two l'iassageways, said heaters extending upwardly into said reverse air passage, vertical partitions in said reverse air passage alined with the partitions in said longitudinal passageu'ays, blowers in the reverse air passage lor eireulating air through the reverse air passage and drying chambers and the heaters, a blower connected at its intake side to one end of the house, a conduit connecting the discharge side ot the blower with the other end of the house and means in said conduit for heating the air passing therethrough.

lIn testimony whereof, we have hereunto set our hands.

CLAUDE BEES CHARLES F. HINE. 

